The present invention relates to an improved method of leveling lateral file cabinets.
Moving and leveling file cabinets are labor intensive tasks that present special problems. File cabinets in use are generally fully loaded and are usually placed side-by-side in a group, substantially in contact with each other. A fully-loaded lateral file cabinet weighs an average of 900 pounds, and, thus, the leveling of such a cabinet has to be accomplished with the drawers empty. Unloading and reloading the contents of such a file cabinet, normally having five drawers of lateral files, requires up to two man-hours of labor. If a file cabinet is not unloaded, moving it presents special problems because such cabinets are made of light weight sheet metal which is easily bent.
Likewise, leveling a fully-loaded, lateral file cabinet poses similar special problems. Leveling such a file cabinet requires that the cabinet be pulled out from its position adjacent to other file cabinets. Pulling a fully loaded file cabinet from its original position will damage the floor or carpet upon which it rests and also requires substantial labor since the cabinet must be moved in and out from its original position repeatedly to accomplish the leveling. In addition to adjusting the feet at the base of a lateral file, the cabinet must be tilted which will usually distort and damage the side walls of the cabinet.
It is desirable to balance or level a cabinet so that the drawers do not torque, thus making them hard to open and close. Another reason that lateral file cabinets need to be leveled is that OSHA now requires side-by-side lateral cabinets to be bolted together to minimize the danger of their falling upon the user, particularly if two or more drawers are opened by accident. The complimentary holes in the adjacent cabinets which receive therethrough the bolts need to be in alignment which can only be accomplished by the leveling of the cabinets.
The use of a vacuum crane to lift a file cabinet for leveling overcomes the special problems of moving and leveling a fully-loaded file cabinet by enabling the cabinet to be lifted in place without damage to the walls of the cabinet and without damage to the floor or flooring material beneath the cabinet. Additionally, the cabinet may be leveled without the need to unload and reload the contents of the cabinet.